Commanders' Athan Kaliakmanis: Sees first NFL action in Week 4 loss
Rotowire
Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown with an interception in Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Colts. He added 16 yards on three carries.
The 2026 seventh-round pick out of Rutgers began the game as the backup to Marcus Mariota with Jayden Daniels (elbow) still out, but Kaliakmanis quickly got pressed into duty for his first NFL action when Mariota injured his knee on a sack in the first quarter and was unable to return. Kaliakmanis didn't play too badly under the circumstances and took some shots down the field, one of which went for a 47-yard touchdown to Treylon Burks in the third quarter, but his inexperience showed as the deficit grew. Daniels is aiming to return to the lineup in Week 5 at home against the Giants, but Kaliakmanis could find himself back in the No. 2 role depending on the severity of Mariota's injury -- and he might be in line for his first career NFL start if Daniels doesn't get cleared.
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Commanders' Athan Kaliakmanis: Emergency QB3 for Week 2
Rotowire
Kaliakmanis (coach's decision) is inactive but will serve as the Commanders' emergency third quarterback against the Cowboys on Sunday.
Kaliakmanis once again will be the emergency QB3, meaning he is not permitted to play Sunday unless both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota were to leave the game due to injury, illness or ejection.
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Commanders' Athan Kaliakmanis: Emergency QB vs. Philadelphia
Rotowire
Kaliakmanis (coach's decision) is inactive but will serve as the Commanders' emergency third quarterback against the Eagles on Sunday.
As the emergency third quarterback, Kaliakmanis is prohibited from playing in Sunday's game unless both Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota were to leave the contest due to injury, illness or ejection. Kaliakmanis was a seventh-round selection of the Commanders in the 2026 NFL Draft after spending the last two years of his college career at Rutgers.
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Commanders' Athan Kaliakmanis: Could be QB2 for Week 1
Rotowire
Kaliakmanis made the Commanders' 53-man roster as the third-string quarterback, but he could be the team's backup for Week 1 against the Eagles if Marcus Mariota (knee) is not cleared to play.
Mariota suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee during the Commanders' preseason game against the Dolphins on Aug. 14. The hope for the Commanders is that the veteran quarterback will be available to serve as the backup to Jayden Daniels for Week 1, but if that's not the case, then it would be Kaliakmanis who steps into the QB2 role behind Daniels. Across three preseason games, Kaliakmanis -- a seventh-round pick of the Commanders in the 2026 NFL Draft -- completed 24 of 37 passes for 294 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.
